It might be the sort of event that would fill a lot of people with dread. An evening listening to some bloke read bits out of his book? What could be worse? Like watching paint dry, eh? But when the book in question is ‘Jolly Lad’ by John Doran of The Quietus, and the tour is a collaboration, with some of his favourite musicians enhancing the readings with sound, the proposition begins to become more appealing. ‘But the book is about alcoholism, drugs and mental illness, isn’t it? Hardly my idea of a great gig…’ you say, and you’d be right, but John has approached his memoir with verve and humour, and the book often brought a smile to my lips and sometimes saw me snorting with laughter.
‘An English Trip’ takes in 31 venues with the Norwegian musician Kjetil, who performs under the name of Arabrot, as the only performer to accompany John to each venue, with the other collaborating musicians changing in each town. When I saw that Eccentronic Research Council members Adrian Flanagan and Dean Honer were providing part of the musical accompaniment in Sheffield, I made the journey from Liverpool, ending up at The Picture House Social on a particularly rainy Friday night. John Doran had picked quite a space to hold his ‘Jolly Lad’ event. The Picture House Social is hipster cool, with bar, food and games areas in addition to the performance space ensuring the venue has a stylish, laid-back feel. The live music room held only a small stage with a large table full of electronica, some stools and equipment, and a lot of cables. The room was cool and empty when I first went in, the place eerily silent, the stage illuminated by a dim pool of light. The event was already well overdue to start, and I had already spent time in the bar and food areas, listening to the DJs playing tunes from the past, each one a memory, a place, a feeling. Musing that I probably spent most of my time listening to new bands to escape the emotional attachment, I broke off my train of thought as I saw the doors open, and took my place in the performance space, waiting for the supporting act, Keely Forsyth, to begin.
The room had a sparse beauty about it. A small crowd were now braving the chill of the room, hoping the eclectic soundtrack promised something more tangible, despite the empty stage. Gradually, the performers seeped in. Adrian Flanagan arrived encased in a parka, hood still up, as if he feared the torrential rain had followed him in. Dean Honer chatted by the side of the merchandise table, trademark woolly hat and tinted glasses firmly in place. John Doran fretted around the stage, absentmindedly fiddling with wires and equipment. Arabrot popped in and out of the back stage area, surveying the growing crowd. The room began to fill up, buzzing with conversation. Surely the gig would start soon. Then Keely Forsyth took to the stage. For quite a diminutive lady, Keely Forsyth had a strong, elemental voice, accompanied by a number of electronic instruments, which provided a haunting and beautiful backdrop for the emotionally charged vocals. The music was experimental, and the quality and originality of the sound was consistently good. The set was short but well appreciated by those who had taken the time to see it.
There was another, much shorter wait for John Doran to take the stage. He began by reading alone, his tale of an episode from his early life in Rainhill, eliciting chuckles and nods of recognition from the older members of the audience, before Adrian and Dean took to the stage, someone introducing the striking, white reel-to-reel tape deck at the front of the table as one used by The Human League, and owned by Phil Oakey himself. The music was excellent and complimented the narrative provided by John Doran as he took us from his early life and the beginning of his drinking problem, through a brief stint at a Hull university, many jobs, a lucky break that saw him take a journalism course, through his problems quitting drink and drugs, and on to to the redemption of fatherhood and stable family life. As he said at the start of the performance, there was a happy ending. Part of the way through, Arabrot took over from Dean and Adrian, bringing some excellent guitar work to the proceedings, followed by a second stint from ‘The Thompson Twins’, as John laughingly referred to them when he asked them to come back on stage. The synthesized sounds saw everyone, including John Doran himself, nodding to the rhythm, as the music unfolded, filling the room with sound, making the words fight for dominance.
I was sorry when it was over. Waiting to get my signed copy of ‘Jolly Lad’, I marvelled at how well John Doran looked for someone who had stared death in the face and survived. Both in the few words I spoke to him, and in the book he’s written, I found a self-effacing honesty and a thread of kindness I probably wasn’t expecting. He joked he was probably devaluing the book by signing it, but I doubt it. The book and accompanying CD of some of the musical collaborations from the tour have already become valued possessions. I’m happy I took the time to attend an event that I’ll remember for a long time to come.
